Battleships and Purple
by CeleryLapel
Summary: Abed and Troy play Battleship. Annie helps Troy out.


In response to tumblr prompt, "Send me a made-up fic title and I'll tell you what I would write to go with it."

Okay, I didn't follow instructions. I actually WROTE the fic. It's no longer "fake!" LOL. This ficlet takes place during season 4 of Community. Enjoy!

It was a clear day in the Greendale Community College cafeteria. Troy sat facing his Battleship pegboard, clutching the sides as sweat dripped from his brow. Abed, eyes glued to his own board opposite Troy, had declared the end of the battle was near.

"It's just too suspenseful! I know you're going to win. You always win!"

Abed shrugged off Troy's sobs as he continued to study his board.

As Troy continued to await Abed's next move, a shadow darkened his view. He lifted his head in surprise.

"Annie?"

"What are you guys doing?"

"We're playing Battleship. I suck."

Annie leaned over, tilting her head while scrutinizing his board and the miniature plastic ships. Her purple blouse fell open slightly, a floral perfume emanating from her cleavage.

"I'm actually pretty good at this game, maybe I can help you. Abed, do you mind if I assist Troy?"

Abed's reply came swift, "He's going to lose anyway."

"Dude!" Troy then slumped forward as he said, "Who am I kidding? He's right."

Annie smiled sweetly at Troy before turning her attentions back to the board. She continued to scan it, a frown on her face as she attempted to reconcile some points with Troy's strategy notes.

Troy glanced to the side and let his eyes linger on a delightful surprise of Annie's Boobs almost in his face.

"See anything, Troy?"

He jumped and whipped his head around to see Jeff regarding him with a mixture of incredulity and menace.

 _Definitely menace. We are not cool._

"Hey, I didn't see you there."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Um…"

Jeff let out an exasperated sigh. With an eye roll he asked, "See anything on _the board_?"

Troy cracked a tentative smile, which quickly morphed into a frown as Jeff plopped down next to him, jamming himself in between Troy and the Boobs.

Annie frowned at the intrusion. "Jeff, I can't see…"

"I've got this. I'll read everything to you, and that way you won't have to _lean over_ and strain your back."

"That's sweet, but you can't say stuff out loud in this game. Abed will hear it."

There was a gagging sound from across the table.

"Dude, are you choking? I worked on my CPR, I can help you this time."

"No, Troy. I'm merely reacting as an audience would to this UST."

"I don't have a UST. I've been drinking my cranberry juice."

"I meant _unresolved sexual tension_."

Annie emitted a squeak.

Troy furrowed his brow. "I thought we said we wouldn't talk about that outside of the Dreamatorium."

"Not Constable Reggie and Inspector Spacetime. Annie and Jeff."

Jeff moved his eyes back from the Boobs (which interestingly had not moved during this entire discussion) to Troy, who was looking at him with a glare. Jeff smiled sheepishly for a split second before resuming his Winger _I don't care_ stare.

"Not cool."

"Who's not cool, Troy?"

Annie sighed and flipped her hair over her shoulder before moving tantalizingly out of reach.

Jeff resisted the urge to yelp/whine whereas Troy did not.

Annie cast a quick glance at the handsome hobo before she calmly marked something down on Troy's strategy notepad and shoved it over to him. He looked at it for a moment and then up at her, his eyebrows raised in mild skepticism. She gave an exaggerated nod as she moved to sit by Jeff's other side. Troy shrugged.

After a couple rounds with Abed sinking Troy's second-to-last ship and Troy following Annie's carefully laid out plan, Troy stated confidently,

"C9."

Abed moved the peg on his board while emitting a low whistle.

"You sank my battleship."

Jeff leaned over to catch a glimpse of his face, in the process having to place his arm around Annie's shoulders so that he could tilt her with him. It was necessary.

"Are you upset, Abed?"

The flicker of rage in Abed's eyes vanished.

"The game has been changed. I'm no longer playing Troy. I need to learn Annie's Battleship brain."

Annie shared a bemused look with Jeff, in the process feeling his stubble scrape against her cheek. She very slowly turned back to face Abed's stare.

"You two. Get a room."

"Abed!" Annie's gasp was quick and perhaps a little too indignant.

"Go play with Jeff."

Jeff suppressed a smile and, pulling Annie maybe a little bit tighter to his side, said in his most authoritative voice, "That's enough. You said she could help Troy. Annie's amazing at a game of strategy. You're intimidated and you're deflecting so that you can get what you want without admitting to it. I must say your behavior is _reprehensible_ , Abed. Which is why I think Annie and I should take our leave. She doesn't need your bullshit."

Abed stared at him blankly. "Really, Jeff? Deflecting? Are we seriously not going to point out you're doing the same thing?"

Jeff cocked a brow. "The what?" He quickly turned away and pointed. "Hey, I think Troy's cheating!"

"I am not!"

Annie bolted upright as Jeff sprang to his feet and held out his hand.

"Milady?"

Instinctively batting her lashes twice, she hesitated.

Jeff gasped, "Need I remind you we were on our way to a movie before you got sucked into their little weird game?"

Keeping his eyes on his board, Abed began to nod vigorously. "Dating!"

Both Jeff and Annie snapped their heads toward him and shrieked simultaneously, "Dating? No!" Turning to face each other, they both exclaimed, "Dating?"

Abed continued to nod.

A blush crept over Annie's face as she resumed her study of Troy's board. She mumbled, "We were just going to a movie. Friends go to movies."

Troy once again furrowed his brow.

Jeff stomped over to Abed's side and slammed his fist down on the table next to the pegboard, a clanging sound of plastic ships scattering on the table.

"Enough! Annie and I are going to a movie. We're going _as friends._ And if we don't go right now, we'll miss our start time."

Troy muttered, "But you didn't invite us. We're your friends too."

Annie lightly swatted Troy's shoulder and looked over at a strangely unperturbed Abed who was still staring intently at his board.

In a slightly higher pitched voice, she said, "Jeff, we have a little time. The movie doesn't start until eight."

"But I wanted to get something to eat first."

"Oh, good idea. We could swing by Uncle Rusty's."

Jeff cringed. "Rusty's? That place is _terrible_. Pierce goes there. I was thinking someplace a little nicer, like Chez Garcon. It's a great little spot on fifth and Clarke."

Abed leaned over and made eye contact with Troy. He wiggled his eyebrows twice to which Troy pursed his lips in response.

Annie's eyes opened wide, and she appeared to glance back and forth between Jeff and the pegboard. Jeff, his mouth falling open in disbelief, motioned for her to stand.

She picked up Troy's pencil and squeaked, "But I really want to win!'

"Annie. I already made a reservation. We're due by six."

Immediately, she let the pencil fall from her grasp. She took a moment to stare at her outlined strategy, almost as if she were in mourning.

Jeff emitted a low sigh.

She reluctantly stood, pulling down her purple top, which had been rising up a little while she was sitting. She then began to smooth her short dark black skirt. Jeff watched her in fascination but with a hint of impatience. Finally, she cleared her throat.

"I guess we'll have to play another time, Abed. Enjoy your game."

Troy watched Annie, with an aura of seriousness, take Jeff's offered elbow. Jeff gave a nod.

Keeping his eyes on their retreating backs, Troy said, "That is so weird. Why won't they just admit it?"

Abed called out, "B5."

"You sank my battleship!"


End file.
